Category: Fourre-tout

I recently acquired a new iPhone—a compact powerhouse brimming with features. It is loaded with bells and whistles that, while not essential, are undeniably attractive to the younger set.

In the early days, cordless phones were simple but clunky, designed with a single purpose: efficient communication. The focus was on function, not flair. That’s all changed. Today’s iPhones are sleek, packed with tech, and look like they were designed by nerds… for nerds.

A modern smartphone feels like a “challenge the beast, and it will answer” machine. Fry an egg? Maybe not quite, but it can do almost anything you can imagine, from navigating your day to detonating an explosive device.

But to fully appreciate this technology, you need the “keys to the kingdom.” And only nerds (and underage kids) seem to be able to ride this wild beast.

“The wonderful thing with nerds is that they’re enthusiasts. Not having a life means you get to love things with a passion, and nobody bothers you about it.” — John Burnside

The iPhone 16 is so advanced it is almost intimidating. And don’t think you can just take it out of the box and go. Nenni ma mie! You’ll need to study the manual, and the instructions are more complex than highway regulations.

And it’s not just about convenience; smartphones can also be a liability. They contain your entire life, and if someone—whether it’s the police, your wife, or your mistress decides to look through it, you might have more to worry about than you thought.

I’m not saying the iPhone is without value. Far from it. But its potential for trouble can sometimes outweigh its benefits. With a smartphone, your location is always traceable, and if you’re ever caught in a dubious situation, the consequences could be significant.

This is why some people now juggle multiple phones—to keep up with the demands of their bosses, partners, and even a paramour or two.

“Don’t we all know why nerds do what they do? To get money, which leads to popularity, which leads to girls.” — Zadie Smith

At the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about?

So, come over to the nerd side and show off your adventurous streak.

Alain

 

The older you get, the more medication you’re advised to take. Chemistry, it seems, can cure anything. Headache? Take this blue pill. Backache? Here’s a green one. Feeling down? Try this blue pill, that red pill, and, just for good measure, this yellow one.

But, if you’ll pardon my language, the pill pushers have it all wrong! Nothing is more therapeutic than a cup of coffee shared with a friend. Coffee is the secret ingredient that nurtures trust and healing, and we should reach for it more often than for pills.

When you share coffee with a friend, you unconsciously unburden yourself. You exchange confidences you’d never tell a stranger, turning your troubles into something you can laugh at rather than cry over. And it’s mutual—one confidence invites another. By the time you finish, you feel closer than ever, like partners in crime.

Doctors tend to see us as machines that just need an oil change or minor repairs, but that’s nonsense. Treat your car poorly, and sooner or later, it will break down. Treat it with respect, listen to its needs, and it will run smoothly for years.

For years now, I’ve driven exclusively Japanese-made cars, and I’ve never had any problems. Before I get into my car, I bow to it, and I do the same when I leave. This little ritual has fostered a kind of mutual respect and cooperation.

The bow is like that cup of coffee. It lubricates a relationship, readying it for whatever challenges lie ahead. If people bowed to each other and shared more coffee, maybe we wouldn’t have so many of the troubles brewing in the world today.

“Coffee is a balm for the heart and spirit.” – Giuseppe Verdi

It’s better to grab a cup of java than head straight for a shrink or pill peddler. It’s much cheaper and, as it turns out, surprisingly soothing. Before any political debate, politicians should be required to share some coffee.

We’d see fewer deadlocks, fewer government shutdowns, and maybe even fewer conflicts because it’s nearly impossible to get angry with someone who shared a cup of coffee with you.

Moral of the story: favor coffee over “magic” tablets and favor friends over therapy.

Alain

With only two weeks left until Elections Day, we are finally approaching the finish line—and not a moment too soon.

This will be a crucial day, and I fear that many do not grasp the magnitude of its consequences. On November 5, we will decide not just America’s future but the world’s fate. And it might take just one tiny man to throw our planet off balance.

Let us not forget the words of George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

It wasn’t so long ago that we faced a similar crossroads, and the aftermath of WWII was devastating—the loss of 50 to 56 million lives.

“On January 30, 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler the chancellor of Germany. The Reichstag fire on February 27, erroneously believed to have been set by representatives of the German Communist Party (KPD), allowed Hitler a further opportunity to warn Germans of an impending socialist revolution that would destroy the German Fatherland.

 With heavy pressure from Hitler, Hindenburg then issued an emergency decree “for the Protection of People and State” that restricted personal liberties, extended the government’s legal ability to obtain warrants for house searches, confiscate private property, and monitor citizens’ postal and electronic communications, and allowed all KPD Reichstag members and other leading anti-Nazis to be arrested.

 In March 1933, the Reichstag approved the implementation of the Enabling Act that granted Hitler dictatorial powers for four years and officially destroyed the Weimar Constitution. A plebiscite in late 1933 confirmed the Nazis’ control and, with Hindenburg’s death in August 1934, Hitler became Germany’s new führer.”

I’m weary of politics, but it’s impossible to ignore the echoes of the candidates’ platforms. And what I hear from the Trump barracks is ominous and alarming.

No rational person wants a “strongman”—whether a Führer, Duce, Caudillo, or dictator—to rule their nation. And yet, the rhetoric across the Potomac suggests that’s exactly what one candidate has in mind.

On November 5, vote. And if you value our precious freedom, vote with a cool head—not with some anger tainted with spite.

Alain